Circuit-breaker.



Uisursn` i STATnsMPaTE'r 'o @Uu/'720152, it ma'yconcern; j I Si leitlinoivnthatl, FRANK NV. GARRETT, of ,.lohnstcwmin the county ofCambriaand ;StatelofPennsylvania, have invented'a new' 5, Aandusefullmprovement-in Circuit-Breakers,

' of `which the followingi'sa full','cl ear, and' exact description,reference being had to the ac@ jcompanyingdrawings, which form a part-ofthis specification.

rc.l -vlil-y'invention has relaiiontoautomatic-cirlgcuit-breakers,fand-is. designed to provide a device ofthis class in which advantage is .-taken, by. means'y ofsimplelpliaracter, of the fact that Whenever lines of force forming partHIS Lof two separately-generated magnetic fields y ytraverse-a commonspace there is a decided actionsbetween the two sets of lines, tending`Vto so' alter their pathsthat as many lines as possible shallcoincideindirection` 'ze xTheinvenl'on is also designed toprevent -ffdestructivearcingat the contacts and to provide acircuit-breaker which in generalis of eficientand reliable character. 'Myinvention consists, broadly, in'a circuitbreaker .Whose movable contacts are carried ,"fbyfa memberplaced in a magnetic-field and 'ffit'sel'fi capable of generating amagnetic field {Whose lines` of force do not coincide in direcf a borisprimarily placed, together with means 'forrestraining the movement ofsaidmem ber under normal conditions inthe-connected f circnit'and forpermitting its movement un-A ei. abnormal conditions in said circuit.

g5' My' "invention also l'consists in a circuitffbreaker `having meanswhereby the circuit lis 'simultaneously broken'ata number of pointsorplaces connectedin series and. under cti: ir,

'conditions which prevent destructive arcing; lso, toprovide meanswhereby the circuit 'v may be 'broken arbitrarily whenever desired andfor restablishing the same. f .i

-n'allyg-v invention consists infthe novel notion,'arrangement, andcombination of arts, all `as hereinafterdescribed, and

hinted `outin the appended claims.y

' dure 1 isaiplan. viewof acircuit-breaker, en away. FigQ is atransverse ionfo't' Fig-Ii-v Fig. is-adiagramrt se mature.

' 'tio'nyith those of the field in which saidmemhea'e'companyingdrawings, in vwhich f shown an embodiment'of myinvention, v

V`trios.

@sommersicnam infirmiers Patent NQ. 656,105, datecinngusr 14, ieoo. IlApplication tiled` December 1 1899.pSe1ial No.' 738,7 5li (No model.) Vl f matic view showing' the circuit connections.

Fig'. 4 is a detail view of the pawl device which normally vrestrainsthe movement of the ar- Fig. 5 isadetail view of one of the 55collector-rings and brushes, and Fig., (i is a detail view showing the'main contacts and bridging-piece. i

The letter A designates the core or yoke of 'an electromagnet havingparallel extended 6o pole-pieces A. Bis a coil ofcoarse insulated WireWhich is Wound upon said yoke or core' and included in the main-linecircuitewire C.

D. is a movable member which I shall hereinafter term the armature andwhich consists of a number of similar iron plates se cured to a shaft E,from which they are insulated and upon which they are spaced from eachother by interposed insulating blocks or pieces E. The shaft E issupported in bear# 7o ings E2 andpasses centrally throu gh the plates,W-hich extend diametrically theretogvit'n their ends adjacent to thetWopole-pieces A. ln the d lWings l have shown .five of these plates;but a greater or less number may be 75 employed, according to thepleasure of the A maker or the extent to which it is desired tosubdivide the are in breaking circuit. Each plate hasin each of its armsa cylindrical recess (l, forminga scat for the Wires `oi the 8o coil F,Which is Wound longitudinally of the armature in a similar manner tol acoil of an ordinary drum e armature,l the Wire.r being Wound in through'the slots d', leading `tothe recesses. Fine insulated Wire is used forthis coil, and itstivoendsare 'connected to collectoriings f f,insulatedfrorn each other upon the shaft E. Brushes g gf bear,-respectively, upon these rings, said brushes being connected to theyline-ivire C upon opposite 9o sides of the coil B, so that said coil Band the'coil F are connected inparallel With each other.

' H designates aseries of'contact-piecos, pref` erably of copper, one ofwhich is secured. to each end ofeachof the armature-plates over theslots d, as bestseen in 'Fig.'2.

K designates spring contact-fingers are ranged in. tw'o series, thefingers of oneseries engaging with the respective contacbpieces roc lIat vone end of the armature-plates and those of the other-seriesenmagingwith thcrespecocation tive contact-pieces at the opposite ends of l thecontacts li the arc is subdivided to such said plates, "lhe fin gers ofboth sets are normally all connected in series by short connections laand the contacts H and armature.-

plates in the manner clearlyshovvn in Fig. 3, the connections 7.,'uniting 'adjacent pairs of .lingcrs'ot vcach set, androppositeiingers on4 the two sets being connected. through the arl anaturesplatcs andcontacts. K of one set electricallyconnected to a main cont-act L, towhich one side of the circuit C is also connected, and the lastcontactnger of the opposite set is similarly conn nected to a secondmain cont-act L', to which the other side the circuit C is connected.

lil is a bridging-piece, composed of copper laminzc, (sce Fig. {L} butwhich may be ot any other suitable character, 'for connecting thecontacts L L. l

N is a handle on the pio`j .cting end portionl of the shatt- E, by meansof which the latter, with the armature, maybe manually operated.

.j is a'catch or detent pla-te secured ou the shattl and formed with anoichp and a stop projection p.

Vit is a pawl which normally engages the notch p tc hold the armature inthe position shown in Fig. 2

S is a conipression-spring bearing at one end ou the patri-arm andseated-at its opposite end against a cap S', upon'which bears an adiustingscrew Si.

It will be readily seen from Fig. Z that inasmuch as the plane of thecoil F is normally parallel to thelines of force of the electromagnet Ail the lines of force of its field will be projected at right angles tothose of the said magnet and that consequently there is a force tendingto move said coil and the armature to a position Where the lines offorce of the two fields will coincide in direction, or, in other words,to move the armature through an arc of ninety degrees. This movement is,however, under normal conditions forcibly restrained by the action o'the pawl R. When the current passing in the circuit C becomes abnormallygreat,the strength of the magnetic elds becomes proportionatelyincreased, thereby increasing the torque on the coil vF to such anextent as to overcome the restraining action ot the said pawl and turnthe armature, the pawl riding out of the notch p'. By reference to Fig.3 it will oe seen that under normal conditions, with the armature .inthe )osition shown in Fi. 2 the contacts The Afirst lin ger v.

mature journaled an extent as to prevent its destructive action,-

particularly in View oi the fact that the break occurs in the magneticfield of the coil By adjusting the spring S the restraining action ofthe pawl t n be increased ordecreascd, and this cual ,the instrument tobe so adjusted as to i; )ond and break circuitupon any predeterminedincrease ot cu rrent in the circuit C. ily turning the handle N circuitmay be arbitrarily broken at any time. Said handle also forms means forrcsetting the armature to operative position.

l do not wish to limitvmrselt to the par- `ticular embodiment of myinvention herein shown and described, as my invention ob# viously muchbroader than such embodiment and `Various instruments may ce constructedwhich involve all the essential features of the invention, althoughdiffering consider'- ably from the construction and arrangement shown.

Having thus described my in vcnlion, what l claim, and desire to protectby .ietters Patent, is

l. ln a circuit-brealier, the combination of means in the main circuitof the instrument for producing a magnetic field, the ,armature movablysupported in said field and carrying a coil Whose plane is normallysubstantially parallel to the lines of lorce o said field, means fornormally restraining movement ot' said armature, and forJ ermitting suchmovement under abnormal conditions, means t'or effecting a circuitthrough the body of said armature independent ot" its coil, and a normalshort circuit around the last-named circuit.

2. A circuit-bren lier having a movable arin a magnetic field, a coil onsaid armature and connections to said coil from the main circuit, meansfor normally holding said armature in a position invrhieh the lines offorce et the said coil do not have a maximum coincidence with ihelinesof force of the field in which the armature is journalcd, means foreffecting a circuit through the body ot said armature independent ofitscoil, and means whereby said circuit is broken bya predeterminedmovemeut of said armature.

. 3. A cirouitdirealicr having a movable4 member or armature situated ina magnetic field, a coil on said member or armature, a series ofcontacts on the periphery ofsaid member or armature within the saidfield,`

and means for effecting a circuit throughthe said contacts and forbreaking the same at each oF said contacts upon a predetermined movementof the said member or armature.

i. in a circuit-breaker, an electromagnct whose coil is energized fromthe main circuit, an armature movably supported between the poles ofsaid magnet, and carrying the movable contacts of the instrument saidcontacts.

being situated in the arc-disrupting field of .said magnet and a coil onsaid armature couetonne nected parallel with the coil of said`inagnet,:together r with lmeans:whereby said coil is normallyilield insuch a'positionfin the *L field otsaidmagnet thatatheflines of forcegenerated by the coil vdo noti-have a maximum coincidence in directionwith. the lines 'of force generated by the said magnet. f

ln .a circuit-breaker having fixed and movable-contacts, the combinationwith an ing part of the short circuit lose their connections in suchcircuit upon movement of said armature before the other of said circuits'is broken, said armature having a coil connected in parallel with theheld-magnet coil,

- and means for normally holding said coil in a plane parallel to thedirection of the lines of force of the said magnet.

6. In a circuit-breaker, the combination` with an electromagnet and anarmature supported in the field of said magnet andv itself capable ot'generating a magnetic field, of a plurality of contacts secured to saidarmature and a series of contact-lingers engaging said;

contacts and connected in series with each other and also connected toline, said contacts and contact-lingers forming a shunt-circuit throughthe body of said armature.

-7. In a circuit-breaker, the combination with an electromagnet,oi` anarmature journaled in the iield of said magnet, and carry,-

ing the movable contacts of the instrument, i

a coil on said armature, means for energizing the said coil and a pawldevice for normally holding the armature against movement and forreleasing the same under abnormal conditions of the said coils.

8. In a circuit-breaker, the combination with an electromagnet, of anarmature jonrnaled in the field of said magnet, and carrying the movablecontacts of the instrument, a coil on said armature, and means forenergizing the said coil, and a paWl device for normallyholding thearmature against movement and for releasing the saine under ab- .,normalconditions of the said coils, together with means for adjusting theaction of said paul to vary its restraining action on the armature.

9. ln a circuit-breaker, the combination of an electromagnet, anarmature in the field of said magnet and carrying movable contactdevices,lsai l armature having a coil, means for energizing the saidcoil, and fixed contact devices coopera/ting with the said movable Vcontact devices, together with means for restraining the movement oflthe-said armature under normal conditions, means for normallyshort-circuitin g the circuit through said .movable contacts and fixedcontact devices, and for breaking such short circuit upon theinitialmovement of said armature,

10. ln a circuit-breaker, the combination et an electomagnet whose coilis connected with the circuit, an armature inthe eldofl saidl magnet andcarryin g movableiconthctsg said larmature having-a coil andcircnitconnections 'for energizing with said coil, billigere'foreugagement with the said contacts, said fingers being-electricallyconnected 'with the circuit and with each other, a pair of maincontacts, a bridging-pieoe'for said contacts carried by the armature andforming with said main contacts a short circuit for the'said f movablecontacts and lngers in the normal position'of the armature.

11.1n a circnit-breahenthe combination with .an electromagnet whose coilis connected with 'the circuit, of an armature. jonrnaled in the iieldcfsaid magnet and having a coil also connected in circuit, a plurality ofinsulated contacts on said armature, a plurality-of contact-fingers forengagement therewith, said fingers being connected to opposite terminalsof the line and inseries with each other, and means for normallyconnecting the line-terminals to short-circuit said lingers.

12. In a circuit-biealrerof the characterdescribed, the combination withan electromagnet connected with the circuit, of an armaturejonrnaled inthe iield of said magnet, Y

and composed of a plurality of insulated plates secured to a shaft, acoil seated in. slots of the said plates,and also connected with thecircuit, a plurality of contacts carried by thesaid plates', and lixedcontact-fingers cngaging the said contacts and connected with thecircuit.

13. In a circuit-breakerof the characterdcscribed, the combination withan electromagnet, of the armature journaled in the field et" saidmagnet, said armature comprising a scries otl insulated plates centrallysecured on a shaft, and slotted at each end portion, and a coil seatedin the slots ofjsaid plate, con nections for energizing th 'said coil,and means for normally restraining the movement of the said armature,together with a series of contacts closing the slots in said plates, andcooperating fixed contacts and connections for effecting a circuitthrough the said plates.

ll. The herein-described circuit-breaker,

comprising the electromagnet having its coil iv-ith its coil ina planesubstantially parallel' to the lines-of force of said-lelectroinagnet,and for releasing said armature und-ei? abnormal conditions in thecircuit l l 15. in a circuit-breaker, mi armature conrposed of a shaft,a, series of separated metal 'plates secured thereon and insulatedtherefroif andvfrom each other, and having con tactpieces at their ends,a coil seated in slots in said plaies, and brushes bearing,` on saidshaft and .electrically connected to the line in which thecircuit-breaker is placed.

16. In a circuit-breaker,an arlnature,1neans carried thereby forproducing a magnetic eld, external means for producing :L surroundingnon-coincident ield; a, series of contacts' carried by 'lille saidarmature, and. fixed Contact devices fgeoiporgring therewith andengaging the same in the said magnetic field, whereby fires formed oythe separation of said contacts are subject'. Lo the disrupting' lotionof Said ield.

In testimony whereof l 'have affixed my iignature in presence of twoWitnesses.

- FR.=\NH. WV. GAIHU'V. Tvlitnesses:

MYRTLE E. SHARPE, 1I. W. SMITH.

